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Question
Shalom Rabbi, I have couple of questions about shaving: 1) The shaving of hair was a part of healing and returning of a Metzora in a time of Temple, but how did they shave? Did they have razer back then? 2) Is shaving of the entire face allowed for women nowadays? Thank you so much
Answer
ב"ה Shalom, In the portion of the Torah (ויקרא י"ד ח-ט ) dealing with the purification of the Metzora, it just mentions shaving all the hair, but does not mention a razor. However, the Mishna(נגעים י"ד: ב) , the Sifra (מצורע פרשה ב, אות ו ) and the the Gemara (סוטה ט"ז .) all say that it was done with a razor. This is also codified in the Rambam (הלכות טומאת צרעת פרק יא הלכה ג. [See also Talmudic encyclopedia Vol. 19 entry Tahrtat Metzora.] A razor is mentioned in the Torah many times, and the torah prohibits the use of a razor for a man while shaving the face. So, yes there were indeed razors at that time. Your second question is not so clear to me. Are you asking if a woman is allowed to use a razor on the face , which is forbidden for men? If that is the question, a woman may shave her face using a razor. (שולחן ערוך יורה דעה הלכות גילוח סימן קפא סעיף ב,ו ) All the best
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